The Hastings Standard Published Daily TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1896. A BUDGET OF BILLS

Hastings Standard, Issue 43, 16 June 1896, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1896. A BUDGET OF BILLS

For the cause that lack:; assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, Antl the good that we can do.

Bkfokk the .session was two hours old, notices of the introduction of no fewer than forty-six Bills were given. Ministers are responsible for twentv'three, and private members for a similar number. In the expiring session of a Parliament, members invariably play to the gallery, hoping thus to pave the way to a successful election. Those who expect to see any honest attempt made to give the country the benefit of useful legislation will be sadly disappointed. The struggle between the parties to curry favor with the electors, and to secure such advantages as will give them the first pull on the electars will be the dominating features of the session

a-ud the battle, if discreditable to the combatants, will at least be amusing to those who must pea-force occupy the position of spectators. The Opposition appeal" to have had the first cut in, for the Revenue returns for the last quarter of the financial year for which they pined, and which the Government seemed fli.-meliued to give, have at last been mr-de pu' -lie. The accusations of law breaking which would have held good are now non-existent, and while the Opposition can claim to have forced Ministers into publishing the returns, the Government- will no doubt discount the claim by saying that no desire existed to withhold the information.

To return to the forty-six Bills. V, hat chance have the bulk of these in the present session 1 ? Even if we throw out the twonty-thive private Bills, we have grave doubts about the balance. Jinny of the. Ministerial measutes will not get beyond the second reading stage, such for instance as the Referendum Hill, Usury Prevention Bill, and Old Age Pensions. Some of the Government Bills are matters of urgency and must get through. The redistribution of seats consequent upon the census must be got through, and the cognate measures like the Electoral Bill, to deal with the property vote, will also be pushed through. A proportion of the fortvsix Bills must of coin's 1 and their way into but tie' greater portion of the time of Parliament will be taken up with personalities. The banking question alone, taken in its many phases, will give rise to much bitterness of speech, and it is not improbable that the banking ipie.si.ion w ill develop inio sensationalism. The Government will lie severely catoehi ed on mail}- subj.-cts, several of which will have a personal bearing, in this respect the member for .Kiccartoii is already to the fore with a question about the. Premier's connection with the Anglo-German mining syndicate. The rail-sitt-rs and alleged independent members, the left wing, and the right wing will all want to speakto the gallery, and must rake up interesting subjects for the purpose. What is better than badgering the Government '! As we have said, we have no hope of seeing useful legislation passed this session, and the political atmosphere is in such a condition, that the unexpected may happen at any moment. There are plenty of indications of stormy weather, and there may be a devastating cyclone to sweep the present Parliament out of existence. In view of such a possibility, we warn all those who are qualified to take immediate! steps to register. "NVe may have to face a. genera! election a great deal sooner than most of us anticipate. A big budget, of Bills at the opening of Parliament presages not a useful session, but one full of sudden and sensational changes, culminating in an appeal to the country.